Obstetrical apparatus



y 1952 H. HEIDENWOLF 2,597,637

OBSTETRICAL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 22, 1947 Hermann b eidenwolf,

IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 20, 1952 OBSTETRICAL APPARATUS Hermann Heidenwolf,Neumarkt, Styria, Austria Application August 22, 1947, Serial No.770,127 In Austria September 12, 1946 2 Claims.

It is a known fact that the symptoms of degeneration of the femaleorganism due to civilization, but frequently also various physicalanomalies, cause an unnatural delay of the process of parturition, sothat it is generally indispensable to assist the organism in order tomake the necessary dilatation of the passage of birth possible. Apartfrom pharmaceutics which are to promote labor, and from the assistanceby forceps, the usual methods apply external pressure upon the abdomenof the parturient woman, a kind of assistance that has been known indifferent ways of proceeding with all civilized nations for a long time.

But this kind of obstetrics is not satisfactory for various reasons. Asit means pressure by hand the pressure produced can be only a locallylimited one and is therefore unnecessarily painful; it is alsoinsufllcient even with the utmost use of strength, and has usually to beapplied for a great length of time, which means considerable physicaland psychical strain for the parturient woman, who has to be able toassist labor by arbitrary stretching of the diaphragm; but this activitycauses a not inconsiderable raising of blood-pressure and can thereforenot be employed with women suffering from any disease of the circulationsystem.

The obstetrical apparatus according to the invention completely avoidsthese disadvantages. It produces a force working externally andpromoting parturition, a force which distributes itself equally over theabdomen of the parturient woman and diminishes physical and psychicalexertion to a great extent, overstrain of the circulation system beingexcluded with certainty. This is achieved by means which make possiblethe transference of force to the foetus over the enclosing parts of theparturient woman's body in the direction of parturition, by applicationof a displaceable medium, especially air. The apparatus, practicallycarried out, may consist of at least one container in which thedisplaceable medium, in this case air, produces a potential of pressurethat operates in the direction of parturition.

Further details of the invention shall be explained with reference tothe accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification andwherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an obstetrical apparatus constructed accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showin 2 the obstetricalapparatus of Fig. 1 in operative position on a parturient women; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the device in Fig.2. Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, carried out asa hollow belt l0, fitting around the body of the parturient woman,which, after having been filled with air, tightens and produces pressurein the direction of parturition. The belt, the employment of which Fig.2 shows, consists of an inner part made of india-rubber ll, protected onthe outside by a strong layer of flexible but non-stretchable textilefabric l2; and buckled round the parturient woman by means of buckles l3and straps l4 extending from the opposite ends of the belt construction.It will be expedient to stiffen the belt transversely by busks 15 ofsteel or whalebone or similar material to prevent its rolling up underthe infiuence of increasing pressure. The inner part of india-rubber I lis placed in a bag of textile fabric l2 with suflicient free play. Aspressure in the loins does not substantially aid parturition, the beltis made so that its principal effect is directed towards the bellybetween the hips and the bottom of the uterus. It also answers itspurpose if it is carried out in such a way that it does not exert equalpressure on all parts of the belly. If high pressure is applied, thebelt hangs by straps I6 on straps H, which are fastened to the upperthighs of the parturient woman, to prevent its slipping up and to avoidan over-exertion of the costal region on which it is supported.Although-owing to the straps l4 the girth of the belt can be adjusted tothe individual case, it is advisable to have these belts manufactured invarious sizes.

Fig. 3 presents a cross-section through the belt on a somewhat largerscale. The dilatable part of india-rubber I8 is joined directly to theexterior cover stiffened by steel reinforcements l5 and strengthened bycord-supports I9; 20 shows the valve for letting in and out the mediumof pressure.

The only thing required of the displaceable medium is for it to be welladapted to conform to the shape of the parturient woman's body, and tomake an equal distribution of the effect of pressure possible. It wouldalso be possible, therefore, to fill the belt according to Figs. 1-3with liquid instead of air, although the use of air has on its side theadvantage of compressibility and the chance of greater rapidity intaking in and exhausting the medium. But the belt itself may also bemade of some solid displaceable material, for instance softindia-rubber, expedients being distributed on the inside which, afterbecoming effective, will allow contraction of the belt. Such expedientswould be e. g. electro-magnets.

Practical tests of the device showed that it can reduce the time ofexpelling with the first parturitions from now 4 hours in the average to30 minutes. Besides it has the advantage of sparing the parturientwoman.

I claim:

1. An obstetrical apparatus comprising an outer belt having a relativelyrigid backing, an inflatable bag underlying said backing and attached tothe latter, said bag having an outlet for the introduction of a pressuremedium, said bag having a pear-shaped cross section and having anarcuate part adapted to lie against the body of a parturient woman andto engage her costal region, said bag being so positioned as to bearagainsttheabdomen of the woman in the direction-of parturition upon saidarcuate 4 claim 1; further including a strap member adapted to besecured around a thigh of a par turient woman, and flexible meansconnecting said strap member to said belt to prevent movement of thelatter away from the direction or parturition.

HERMANN HEIDENWOLF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 177,569 Sale May 16, 1876 412,999Turney Oct. 15, 1889 504,598 Leyda Sept. 5, 1893 1,013,800 Meyer Jan. 2,1912 2,088,044 Tate July 27, 1937 2,104,758 Poppen Jan. 11, 19382,223,570 McMillin Dec. 3, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date17,730 Great Britain July 31, 1912 of 1912

